Reinforcing corner-bracket for cars.



A. E. LEHMANN.

BEINFORGING 001mm BRACKET FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.15, 1913.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

of bracket.

UNITED STATES PATENT oE IoE.

ARTHUR E. LEHMANN, OF ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO COMMONWEALTH STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BEINFORCING CORNER-BRACKET FOR CARS.

Application filed December 15, 1913.

clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of areinforcing corner bracket of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view-of the bracket. Fig. 3 isa plan view of the bracket in position at the corner of a car underframe and showing the corner post of the car frame in horizontal section. Fig. '1 is a side elevational view of a. modified form of my improved reinforcing bracket. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the modified form My invention relates generally to car construction, and more particularly to a reinforcing and strengthening bracket utilized at the lower corners of the car body in con nection with the car underframe, end frame and corner posts.

In the construction of metal cars, it is to av large extent the practice to use cast metal underframes, metal end frames, metal platforms and like structures particularly designed to overcome the tendency of car bodies telescoping during collisions, and to further strengthen and reinforce the ends of car bodies, and particularly the lower corners thereof, I propose to provide onepiece cast metal strengthening and reinforcing members, preferably in the form of angle brackets which are adapted to be combined with the car underfrauie, end sill, end frame and corner posts.

My improved bracket in addition to strengthening and bracing the lower corners of a car body, serves to tie the lower portion of the corner post and the lower corner of the end frame to the underfraine, and it also serves as a gusset plate between the side and end sills of the underframe.

It will be readily understood that my improved reinforcing bracket can be advantageously utilized in connection with underframes and end frames which are built up Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 806.803.

or composed of structural shapes, as well as with those which are cast or formed in a single piece.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive, strong and rigid one-piece structure which can be readily applied to the existing types of underframes and end frames andwhich will provide a solid, substantial bracefor the lower portion of theend frame, and GS which brace will be effective in resisting." severe end shocks and crushing stresses due to collisions, thereby affording a maximum degree of safety to life and property.

\Vith the above and other objects in viewymb my invention consists incertain novel feaa tures of construction and arrangement or parts hereiuaftermore fully described-and) claimed.

In the drawings, I have shown the cornerof a cast metal. undcrframe having a sidei sill l0 and an end sill 11, and formed on or; fixed to the lower portions of these sills areoutwardly projecting flanges. 12 and 13.

My improved one piece bracket comprisess a vertically disposed side plate 1 1, prefer; ably formed with an outwardly presented marginal flange 15, and the base or lower;- end of this plate rests upon and is rigidly fixed to the end portion of the side sill 10.,- Formed integral with the front edge of this plate 1-1, and occupying a position at right angles thereto, a vertically disposed end plate 16,- preferably formed with a marginal flange 17, and the baseor lower end of this end plate rests upon and is fixed to the end portion of the end sill llof the un" derframe. The marginal flanges on the lower edges of the plates 14 and 16 rest directly upon the horizontally disposed flanges 12 and 13 of the side and end sills and the lower portions of said plates 14 and 16 bear directly against the outer faces of the side.- and end sills above said-fiangeslQ and 13.

Formed integralwith the plates 14 and 16 is a horizontally disposed gusset plate 18, preferably triangular in plan view, and this gusset plate lies directly upon and is rigidly fixed to the end portions of the side and end sills 10 and 11. The lower portion of the corner post 19 of the car body is positioned directly against and rigidly fixed to the out wardly projecting marginal flanges on the meeting edges of the plates 14 and 16, and where this corner post is of Z-shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, one of the legs or flanges of said corner post overlies and is fixed to a flange 17 which is formed integral with the marginal flange 17 at the outer edge of the plate 16.

In the modified construction of reinforcing bracket illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the gusset plate 18 is formed integral with .the lower ends of the vertically disposed side and end plates and when this form of bracket is applied for use the lower ends of said side and end plates and the gusset plate rest directly on top of the corner portions of the underframe, and the corner post is fixed in any suitable manner to the meeting edges of said side and end plates.

A reinforcing bracket of my improved construction while particularly designed for use in connection with cast metal underframes, can be advantageously employed in connection with built-up structures and when combined with either integral or builtup structures, provides a very strong, rigid construction which is anti-telescopic in efiect, inasmuch as it effectually braces the lower corner of the car body against end shocks and crushing strains, and by reason of the gusset plate between the front and end plates, and by reason of the height of said side and end plates, a strong and rigid tie is provided between the side and end sills of the underframe and between said sills and the lower portion of the corner It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved reinforcing corner bracket can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described Without departing from the spirit of my invention the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, marginal flanges on said plates, and, a gusset plate between the lower portions of said upright plates.

2. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars formed in a single piece and comprising a pair of upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, marginal flanges on said plates, and a horizontally disposed gusset plate between the lower portions of said upright plates.

3. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars formed in a single piece and comprising a pair of upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, marginal flanges on 'said plates, and a horizontally disposed gusset plate between said upright plates, which usset plate is located above the lower ends 0% said upright plates.

4. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars other, which plates are arranged between and fixed to the side and end sills of the underframe and the corner post and flanges on the lower and meeting edges of said plates.

6. The combination with a car underframe and corner post, of a one piece reinforcing bracket comprising a pair of upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, which plates are arranged between and fixed to the side and end sills of the underframe and the corner post, and a gus set plate integral with said upright plates, which gusset plate overlies the side and end sills of the underframe.

7. The combination with a car underframe and corner post, of a reinforcing corner bracket arranged between said underframe and corner post, which bracket comprises a pair of upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, the lower portions of which are rigidly fixed to the side and end sills of the underframe, the meeting edges of which plates are adapted to engage the corner post, and a gusset plate between the lower portions of the upright plates.

8. The combination with a car underframe and corner post, of a reinforcing corner bracket comprising a plate fixed to the side sill of the underframe and engaging the corner post, a plate fixed to the end sill and engaging the corner post,a usset plate between the lower portions 0 said plates and flanges on the meeting and lower edges of said plates.

9. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of integrally connected upright plates, one of which is adapted to engage the side sill and corner post of a car, the other plate being adapted to engage the end sill and corner post of the car and flanges on the lower and meeting edges of said plates.

10. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of integrally connected upright plates arranged at right angles to each other and flanges on the meeting and lower edges of said plates.

11. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of integrally connected upright plates arranged at right angles to each other, and marginal flanges on said plates.

12. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of integrally connected upright plates adapted to engage the side and end sills of a car underframe, and flanges on the meeting edges of said plates for engaging the lower portion of the corner post of the car.

13. A reinforcing corner bracket for cars comprising a pair of integrally connected upright plates adapted to en age the side and end sills of a car under rame, flanges on the meeting edges of said plates for engaging the lower portion of the corner post of the car, and a horizontally disposed gusset late between the lower portions of the upright plates.

14. The combination with a car underframe and corner post, of a pair of in- 15 teg'rally connected upright plates arranged at right angles to each other and flanges on the lower ends and meeting edges of said plates, which flanges are adapted to be fixed to the corner of the underframe and the lower portion of the corner post.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses,

this 5th day of December, 1913.

ARTHUR E. LEHMANN. Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL. 

